Implementation of Agile Practices in a Distributed and Large Organization: A Contextual Factors Analysis

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Abstract

Agile development is an emerging concept in software industry designated to improve the competitiveness of software firms. Based on an iterative development approach and frequent communication between team members and the client, agile methodologies seem more adaptable to small co-located teams than to large distributed ones. Nevertheless, many empirical studies have reported the integration of agile practices into large organizations and especially in global distributed environments. These studies have mainly focused on the challenges involved in using agile practices in such contexts. However, the present research aims at identifying the contextual factors that influence, primarily, the implementation of these practices in large organizations. The research methodology is based on an ethnographic approach conducted in a French telecommunication company.Our findings reveal how teams’ perceptions regarding the organizational context and the ease of use of agile practices can influence the implementation of these practices at cross-functional teams’ level.